Got out with an esteemed visitor from PA this morning, Jim Simms. We covered a lot of territory in some wind that almost knocked me off my feet once or twice.

Hooked 7 NICE stripers at Bass River - finally landed one. Jim pointed out to me to check my hook point - DOH!! If I could ever calm down I would have found just a slight curl to the tip from pounding off rocks!!

Jim casting lefty put him at a disadvantage with the way the wind was honkin' & the current was flowing. His worldwide fly fishing exposure led to him finally beat the wind to get the right drift and landing a nice 32" fish.

Gasp..#4^%snicker cough....Roop you're killing me! Me and Mr. Morin and Mr Grey pounded that beach sat. morning till noon! Didn't get as much as one sniff!
AND...I stopped at Bass R. on the way home and looked it over and said...nahhh.
That's it, I'm getting downright superstitous about the cape. I'm staying on the North Shore until the porker lady whails her song. Chatham Smatham- the myth lives on.
BTW-I heard Mr Morin got an Exotoid after I left. John?

This is the time of season when I used to catch exotics along the south side river mouths on the dropping tide. Wouldn't be surprised to find them around the yakbone spots right now for those who did that day with us last year.

Roop, excellent overview of the day. We did good when you consider the conditions. Thanks for your hospitality.

Today, went with a couple of spin fisherman that kicked my ass, big time on a stretch that I have been sworn to secrecy to tell all. I landed two schoolies, lost a couple and they landed double digit numbers on white slugos. Go figure. I used sand eel, sliverside, bunker and finally clouser patterns to start hooking fish. Various retrives to no avail. Any Suggestions? Tie slugo patterns?

It's my opinion that it's not the thing on the end of the line that should be compared eye to eye but the whole package - in a particular spot one outfit will outfish the other. Among the other factors involved are:
[#]distance
[#]lead head in deep water / fast current
[#]time with line in the fishy part of the 'hole'
[#]action in feeding depth
[#]etc

In other words, standing shoulder to shoulder in the sluggo hole may not get you there, look for a submerged bar, funnel, raised berm, ridge bottom sandlines, easement of current at a bend, or anything that puts the advantage in your court. I've been lucky enough to be on the good side of envy using flies by putting my flies where they can work best.

When this does not work, there are still things you can do... I wish I was there to look at the situation to take a better guess. Anyway, I love figuring out situations like this better than every-cast hit situations, makes each fish seem that much more of an accomplishment.